Lonicera plant named ‘GRLN03’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Lonicera  plant named ‘GRLN03’ that is characterized by its evergreen, winter hardy habit, its very dense, well-branched growth habit that is easy to shape, its foliage that is glossy, fine and green in color with new shoots that are orange-brown in color, its clean foliage with no disease problems, and its vigorous growth habit.

Botanical classification: Lonicera nitida.

Variety denomination: ‘GRLN03’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to European Community Plant VarietyOffice (CPVO) Plant Breeder's Rights Application No. 2020/0660 filed onMar. 5, 2020 under 35 U.S.C. 119(f), the entire contents of which isincorporated by reference herein. This application is co-pending with aU.S. Plant Patent Applications filed for plants derived from the samebreeding program that are entitled Lonicera Plant Named ‘GRLN01’ (U.S.Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/135,585) and Lonicera Plant Named‘GRLN02’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/135,618).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Loniceranitida and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘GRLN03’.‘GRLN03’ is a new cultivar of boxleaf honeysuckle, an evergreen shrubgrown for use as an ornamental landscape plant.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding programconducted by the Inventor at his nursery in Valkenburg, The Netherlands.The overall purpose of the breeding program is to make selections ofLonicera plants with new leaf colors and dense foliage. ‘GRLN03’ arosefrom crosses made in 2014 with Lonicera nitida ‘Red Tips’ (not patented)as the female parent and an unpatented and unnamed proprietary plants ofLonicera nitida from the Inventor's breeding program as the male parent.The seeds were pooled for the crosses and therefore the male parent isunknown. ‘GRLN03’ was selected as a single unique plant in 2015 fromamongst the seedlings derived from the above crosses.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by theInventor using softwood stem cuttings in 2015 in Valkenburg, TheNetherlands. Asexual propagation by softwood cuttings has determinedthat the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and arereproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘GRLN03’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Lonicera.

-   -   1. ‘GRLN03’ exhibits an evergreen, winter hardy habit.    -   2. ‘GRLN03’ exhibits a very dense, well-branched growth habit        that is easy to shape.    -   3. ‘GRLN03’ exhibits foliage that is glossy, fine and green in        color with new shoots that are orange-brown in color.    -   4. ‘GRLN03’ exhibits clean foliage with no disease problems.    -   5. ‘GRLN03’ exhibits a vigorous growth habit.

The parent plant, ‘Red Tips’, differs from ‘GRLN03’ in having new shootsthat are burgundy in color and less branching with less dense foliage‘GRLN03’ can also be compared to the Lonicera nitida cultivar ‘TidyTips’ (not patented). ‘Tidy Tips’ differs from ‘GRLN03’ in having aslower growing habit, new shoots that are bronze in color, winterfoliage that is red in color, and leaves that are smaller in size.‘GRLN01’ differs from ‘GRLN03’ in having new shoots that stay green incolor. ‘GRLN02’ differs from ‘GRLN03’ in having foliage that is darkgreen in color with new shoots that are purple in color.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating tosales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than oneyear prior to the effective filing date of this application. Anyinformation about the claimed plant would have been obtained from adirect or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims aprior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/orsales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to theeffective filing date. Disclosures include but may not be limited towebsite listings by Plantipp (inventor's representative), Plantariumdigital expo, Green Leaf, About Plants Zundert, Flor Access, and Novaphoto graphic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrates the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Lonicera. The photographs weretaken of a 7-month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in17-cm containers in Wernhout, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘GRLN03’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a side view of the branches andfoliage of ‘GRLN03’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 is provides a close-up view of the new leavesof ‘GRLN03’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digitalphotography and printing techniques utilized and the color codes in thedetailed botanical description accurately describe the new Lonicera.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 7-month-old plants of the newcultivar as grown outdoors in 17-cm containers in Wernhout, TheNetherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variationsin environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society, London, England, except where general color termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Plant type.—Evergreen shrub.        -   Plant habit.—Upright, well-branched.        -   Plant size.—Average of 40 cm in height and 46 cm in spread            as grown in a 17-cm container.        -   Cold hardiness.—At least hardy to U.S.D.A. Zone 6.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases or pests has been identified, however the plants            grown have been observed to be disease and pest free.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings.        -   Root development.—Cuttings initiate roots in about 6 weeks            and fully develop as a young rooted plant in 4 to 5 months            in a 1.5 liter pot.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.-   Stem description:    -   -   Shape.—Rounded.        -   Stem color.—New growth; upper side 83A, new growth; lower            side 83B, mature bark; upper and lower side N199A.        -   Stem quantity.—Average of 3 main branches, each with an            average of 18 lateral branches.        -   Stem strength.—Strong.        -   Stem size.—Main; average of 38 cm in length and 3 mm in            diameter, lateral branches; 21 cm in length and 2 mm in            diameter.        -   Stem surface.—Matte and slightly pubescent.        -   Internode length.—Average of 3 cm.        -   Branching.—Lateral branches at an average angle of 40° to            main branches.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Ovate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Obtuse to rounded.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute to rounded.        -   Leaf fragrance.—None.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, young and mature upper and lower            side 144A.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous and glossy on both surfaces.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 1.2 cm in length and 9 mm in width.        -   Leaf quantity.—Average of 38 (19 pairs) per branch.        -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 144A, margins 183A, leaves            that are higher on the plant are 145A, margins 181A, young            lower surface 145A, flushed with N79C, mature upper surface            137A, lower surface 144A, fall and winter foliage upper and            lower surface; similar to mature foliage.        -   Petioles.—About 1 mm in length, 0.7 mm in width, glabrous            surface, 145A in color.        -   Stipules.—About 1.5 mm in length, 1 mm in width, glabrous            surface, color; 83A, base N199A.-   Inflorescence description: Flowers and seed production have not been    observed to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lonicera plant named‘GRLN03’ as herein illustrated and described.